How M361 Turned an '80s Fitness Guru Into a Gen Z Mental Health Icon

In a time when countless brands try (and fail) to connect with gen z, La Lancée, a M361 strategy, is turning heads—by doing it right. With its new social strategy starring Nancy Choquette, a hilariously outdated ‘80s fitness guru brought to life on TikTok, the initiative cleverly breaks through the gen z noise without pretending to be something it's not.

As a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing public health and social innovation in Quebec, M361 helps government institutions and community organisations craft meaningful social strategies that resonate. Its latest success? The hilariously offbeat Cardio Mental Tonique Wow 2, starring Nancy Choquette, an '80s fitness relic who’s found unexpected stardom on TikTok.

Co-created with the agency Cossette and in partnership with the Gouvernement du Québec, the social push cuts through the gen z noise not by trying to speak their language, but by building an entire universe they want to explore—ironic, nostalgic, and emotionally relevant. It’s not about chasing trends. Or even language, it seems. It’s about building a world gen z actually wants to engage with.

"The power of this social strategy is in the narrative world built around Nancy Choquette," said Nadine El-Whidi, copywriter at Cossette. "Her boomer tone and outdated references makes the character feel real, sparks engagement, and generates original trends—rather than chasing fleeting ones."

The social strategy avoids all the usual “how do you do, fellow kids?” traps. Instead, it builds a rich, self-aware narrative universe—complete with Nancy’s gen z nephew, her washed-up ex Robert, and a stream of nostalgic VHS aesthetics—that organically sparked engagement:

• Over 3 million organic views across platforms
• Influencer collabs and memes (Citron Rose, Un potin avec ça?, le Maire de Laval)
• Significant breakthrough in traditional media coverage
• A strong intersectoral contribution involving over 40 active partners and provincial ministries
• And upcoming collaborations with women’s sports teams, federations, and educational institutions, as well as additional community partners and social services organisations that may join.

Beyond the character, the strategy was simple: don’t preach, don’t pretend, and don’t force it. Present physical activity as one option—a small, accessible act of self-care that feels relevant to the stress-related experiences of gen z women.

“We didn’t want to come off as preachy. Nancy lets us be playful, while still validating what young people are going through,” said Louis Rodrigue, project lead at M361.

The result? A government-backed initiative that didn’t just “go viral” or surfed on trending sounds—it built a world gen z actually wanted to enter, with Nancy Choquette coming to life across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.